


Love Should Be So Kind

by Iris_Celeno



Category: Code Black (TV)
Genre: Christa is falling, F/M, Missing Scene, Pre-romance cuteness, tag for 1x12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-15 23:00:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7242307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iris_Celeno/pseuds/Iris_Celeno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Thank you for today...for everything.</i><br/>What if “everything” was a little more than a pep talk?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Should Be So Kind

**Author's Note:**

> I have a few ideas for missing scenes, and I'll try to write at least one for each episode. Here's the first.  
> Non beta-ed, please forgive any mistake you might find.

The cabin was dark, almost freezing, and the rotors shrieking gave Christa the beginning of a headache. She was cold in spite of her jacket that Neal had wrapped around her as soon as he sat by her side, once her two patients were settled inside on their gurneys. Her shoulder still dimly hurt, she was physically exhausted, and the sudden release of tension left her weak, unable to fight a surge of retrospective fear. 

She had been so afraid that they wouldn't find them in time, so afraid that Katherine and Elliot would die on her, so afraid that Lily would lose her family because she wasn't good enough a doctor.

She looked at the little girl who was securely seated on the opposite side of the cabin and in deep conversation with the EMT next to her. _All's well that ends well_ , Christa repeated over and over in her head. In fifteen minutes, they'd land in Angels Memorial and mother and son would be granted the best care possible. 

Holding on to this mantra was about as efficient as grasping at straws, though, since her body stubbornly refused to listen to her mind. She couldn't repress a wave of violent shudders and was now almost thankful for the head-splitting screech of the helicopter, which covered the loud chattering of her teeth. Her shift wasn't over, she couldn't fall apart now. She had screwed up enough already by needing to be rescued. 

Suddenly she was enfolded in warmth, and a large hand closed about her shoulder with infinite gentleness. 

_Neal._

She raised her eyes to his face. He didn't look back at her, keeping his gaze on the blue-black sky as the helicopter ascended again, but as if in answer to her questioning glance he pulled her a bit closer to him, offering her comfort while pretending that he didn't notice her moment of weakness. He was such a thoughtful, considerate man. A wave of gratitude and fondness flooded her and yes, she was aware that she was treading on a slippery slope with him lately but he was warm and solid, she was so tired, it was so tempting...just fifteen minutes, she told herself as she rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, fifteen minutes of recharging her batteries. She would take no heed of how appealing she found the spicy note in his scent or the feel of his lean yet muscular body, she swore. Nevertheless, once she was dozing she let herself drown in the feeling of safety, in the sweet sensation evoked by the rhythmical, soothing strokes of his thumb on her arm, and didn't care that the line between dream and reality blurred when she imagined the soft pressing of his lips on her hair. 

A twist in her stomach informed her that the helicopter was making its descent. She pulled away and in spite of her best efforts to ignore it, her body protested the loss of his embrace. She took a deep cleansing breath in order to fully wake up and prepare herself for plunging back into the chaos of the ER, reassured to find out that the small break had worked wonders with her. 

Upon their landing she and Neal stood up in unison, their hands automatically linking so as to steady each other. Their eyes finally met and as she thanked him silently, his concerned expression made way for relief. _Ready?_ his dark gaze seemed to ask. She nodded, causing a brief yet bright smile to grace his lips.

“They're going to be OK, right?” Lily asked them just before the EMT opened the door.

“They should be,” Neal assured her. 

_Here we go_ , Christa thought as a gush of chilly wind welcomed them on the rooftop. She helped the little girl get off the helicopter while Neal was informing the nurses who had been waiting for them of Katherine's condition. 

“Dr Lorenson, go with Lily and her mother,” he instructed. “I'm taking the boy to Center Stage. I'll have Amy book an OR, and you'll meet me there when I get one.” 

The hold of Lily's hand on hers distinctly relaxed. Trading a last glance with Neal, Christa understood that he didn't fail to remark the worried inflexion in the girl's voice earlier, nor her own reluctance to leave her alone so abruptly in the unknown and often impersonal environment of the hospital.

Why did he have to be so kind, she wondered, not even trying to fool herself into thinking that she merely felt grateful to him. 

It was his kindness that made the slope so slippery, and boy was she slipping.

**Author's Note:**

> Freudian slip included, as we know.  
> 1x12 is one of my favorite but I did miss a little reunion scene. Hey, I can write a short story after all :)  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
